Internet Safety

Computer and Internet Safety

Taking all of the actions on this page may not prevent an abuser from discovering your email and Internet activity. A person’s computer activity can be easily monitored through tools such as keystroke software and Spyware. It might be safer to use a computer that an abuser cannot access, such as one at a library, a friend’s house, or an Internet cafe.

If an abuser has access to your email account, he or she may be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail. To make your password more secure, consider changing it often and picking one that the abuser would not guess.

If an abuser knows how to read your computer’s history of cache file (automatically saved web pages and graphics), he or she may be able to see information you have viewed on the Internet. There is no way to delete all “footprints” of your internet and computer activity.

If your computer and internet activity is being monitored, abruptly changing your passwords or deleting your internet history might make the person monitoring you suspicious. Consider continuing to use your computer for daily mundane tasks such as reading the news. More sensitive computer use, such as asking for help or planning to move, might be better saved for a computer an abuser doesn’t know about.